The visiting Outsiders soccer team out-kicked the San Quentin squad, 5-3, in the season opener.

“I’ve been missing San Quentin soccer all winter,” said Outsider Dario Abramskiehn. “There’s a special bunch of guys here.”

SQ player Miguel Martinez added, “This is a big thing for all of us. We love to come together and play futbol.”

Community members coming into San Quentin to play sports stops every year from November to March. The March 24 game kicked off the new season.

“if y’all think I did it…just give me a lawyer, dawg, ‘cause this is not what’s up.”  Warren Demesme said during police questioning.  The Louisiana Supreme Court held that this reference was too ambiguous to count as a request for counsel.  REASON Magazine, January 2018

Last year, San Quentin dominated until they asked for better competition. Sponsor Andrew Crawford responded, and San Quentin lost the last few games of the season.

This year, the Outsiders picked up where they left off. The 11-member squad that came in contained a former pro. Aiden Leonard played for Brown University until 2014. Afterward he played pro in Costa Rica. They also had defender Alex Lentz, who played for U-Mass Amherst.

“It’s motivating to play with somebody,” SQ’s Lam Le said. “Now we are playing better and competing.”

San Quentin fielded 11 members from both their OG and Youngster teams.

In the 7:09 minute, Outsiders scored their first goal off the foot of Abramskiehn.

Lentz saved his goalie, who was out of position as the SQ team tried to kick in a goal.

SQ’s first goal came off a penalty kick. Jesus “Morelia” Lopez blasted the ball past the goalie to tie the score at 1-1 at 21:07.

At 32:46, Crawford kicked the futbol passed the defense to Leonard, who power kicked the ball into the net for a 2-1 Outsider lead.

SQ’s Carlos Ramirez responded with a goal at the 47 minute, that made the score 2-2.

In the 52 minute, SQ pulled ahead 3-2, when Miguel Gutierrez scored.

The Outsiders charged back with three goals.

At the 70:00 minute, Rohit Ramchandani, who the San Quentin heckler Ceasar McDowell clowned last year, tied the score 3-3 with a kick past the goalie Jesus Perez.

In the 73:00 minute, Jordi Ortiz kicked the ball to Leonard, who scored the goal. 4-3.

Abramskiehn increased the Outsiders’ lead 5-3 when Perez fell as he tried to defend the goal, which left a large section wide open.

Both teams formed a circle mid-field and expressed what the day meant.

“You guys coming in brings the world to us,” Juan “Carlos” Meza said. “It makes us feel relevant. Every man here has made a commitment to be a citizen, and you guys help us with that.”

Leonard, who played at Quentin for the first time, said, “We only knew it from the other side. You guys are working hard to better yourselves. It’s inspiring. It keeps me humble and grateful for what we have out there.”